Democrats to Hold Joint Mass Meeting To Nominate Candidates for Two House of Delegate Seats

The 12th District and 7th District Democratic Nominating Committees will hold a mass meeting, also known as an assembled caucus, on May 11, 2019 at 10 a.m. at the Montgomery County Government Center, 755 Roanoke St., Christiansburg, for the purpose of nominating Democratic candidates for the 2019 General Election for the 12th District and 7th District House of Delegates.

Pulaski County democrats are encouraged to participate since parts of Pulaski County are represented by both the 12th and 7th districts, as is the case in Montgomery County as well. Giles County and the City of Radford are also in the 12th district. Floyd County is also part of the 7th district.

For candidates

Each person seeking to become the Democratic nominee for the General Election for the 7th or 12th District shall file a Declaration of Candidacy form with the 7th or 12th Democratic Committee Nominating Committee Chair and a $500 nonrefundable certified cashier’s check (cash or money order not accepted) made payable to the Montgomery County Democratic Committee (MCDC). Filings shall be made by April 17 at 5 p.m. to MCDC, 712 N Main St., Ste 203, Blacksburg, VA 24060. Only those candidates who have timely and properly filed a Declaration of Candidacy form and paid the filing fee will have their names placed in nomination. The Declaration of Candidacy form shall be available by request to jennigal@vt.edu.

The Declaration of Candidacy form, which the candidate must sign, will include a written declaration that the candidate:

• Is a Democrat and not a member of any other political party;
• Meets all requirements of state law to be placed on the ballot for the General Elections;
• Is eligible to be the 7th or 12th District Delegate under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia;
• Does not intend to support, endorse, or assist any candidate who is opposed to the Democratic nominee in this General Election;
• Will not participate in the nominating process of any other political party for this General Election; and
• Agrees to abide by the Caucus Rules, the Virginia Democratic Party Plan, and all laws applicable to this nominating process and the General Election.

For voters

Every Democrat who is a registered voter in the 7th and 12th district is urged to attend and participate. Each participant must sign a written declaration the he or she:

• Is a Democrat and not a member of any other political party;
• Does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee in this General Election;
• Has not participated in and will not participate in the nominating process of any other party for this election; and
• Is registered to vote in the 7th or 12th District.

Conduct of Caucus

The doors to the caucus will open at 9 a.m. and will close at 10 a.m. and no further persons will be permitted to enter. Those in line will be permitted to complete the check-in process and will be permitted to participate. The chair each district nominating committee, or his or her designee, shall be the Temporary Chair of the Caucus and shall appoint a Temporary Secretary and such other Officers of the Caucus as is deemed appropriate. Each Nominating Committee will prepare Temporary Rules for the Caucus. Participants will adopt permanent Rules for the Caucus.

Determination of Nominee

If more than one candidate files for the Democratic nominee for the 7th or 12th District by the deadline, the candidates will be listed alphabetically on the ballot and will be elected by a plurality of the votes of the assembled caucus. If only one person files properly to be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the general election by the filing deadline, the District Democratic Nominating Committee may cancel the caucus and declare that person the nominee. If no person files properly to be a candidate for the Democratic nominee by the deadline, the Nominating Committee may cancel the caucus. If there is no filed candidate, or if the properly nominated candidate withdraws or dies, or if the caucus is unable or the House of Delegates Call to Caucus for the 7th or 12th District does not occur in the times and dates specified, the Nominating Committee Chair may, before April 19th at 5 p.m. at an agreed upon date and time, convene the 7th or 12th District Democratic Nominating Committee, as the case may be, to consider the nomination of a qualified candidate who may become the Democratic nominee upon first filing with the Chair a Declaration of Candidacy form and paying the filing fee for such office.

VII. Waivers:

The District Democratic Nominating Committee shall seek appropriate waivers from the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) regarding expediting the time frames required by the Party Plan, if necessary.